Dispensing device



Feb. 28, 1961 G. D. ROBB 2,973,019

DISPENSING DEVICE Filed April 21., 1958 Z6 46 as 20 INVENTOR GERALD D. Fos

BYW

ATTORNEYS l j i F DISPENSING DEVICE Gerald D. Robb, 121 E. St., Trinidad, Colo.

Filed Apr. 21, 1958, Ser. No. 729,774

1 Claim. (Cl; 1141-24) This invention relates to dispensing devices of the type primarily designed for use in connection with the administration of liquid medicine or similar preparations.

Most liquid medicines, commercially available to the public, are conventionally sold in bottles and taken in doses measured in. spoonsful or multiples or fractions thereof. In administering such medicines, the user is required to pour the prescribed amount from the bottle and into the spoon. This operation is not only inconvenient and time consuming but unless carefully and deftly performed frequently results in messy drippings and the consequent loss' of such quantities of medicines. People suffering from disorders of the nervous system, such as. Parkinsons disease, would find it virtually impossible to administer medicine to themselves in this manner; and thus, they would be dependent on the presence of. others who may not always be available.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an importantobject of the invention to. provide a novel dispensing device particularly adapted to facilitate the administration of liquid. medicines in proper and measured doses.

' A further objectre'sides the provision of a novel combination and arrangement of a medicine container and a cap therefor carrying a spoon and a suction bulb designed to eliminate the necessity of removing the cap before the prescribed dosage is in a position to be de livered to the spoon, and characterized in that the pouring step is omitted and hence no particular care or dexterity is required to administer the medicine.

In accordance with the broad contemplation of: my invention, a: dispensing device isprovided including: a container or bottle closed at its bottom and having an open top; aclosure cap detachably. secured to and closingisaid open. top; with a spoon depending from the cap into the container and a reservoir having deformable walls carried by the cap externally of the container; and further with means defining a fluid passageway extending from the reservoir through the cap and into the spoon.

Another object is the development of a novel construction and arrangement of parts, in the dispensing device referred to, providing a most convenient method for administering medicine in the exact quantities prescribed and particularly adapted to effectively minimize the wastage and messy drippings.

Additional objects reside in the provision of a novel dispensing device, of the type referred to, and characterized by an overall simplicity of design, durable and inexpensive construction, and attractive and pleasing appearance.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The novel features of the invention may be best made clear from the following description and accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a dispensing device embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional'view of the device of Figure l;

" together inv the position shown.

, 2,973,019 Patented Feb. 28, 19,61:

Figure-3 is .a plan view of an exemplary construction of the closure capwitbi. a spoon and bulb associated therewith; v

Figure 4 is a:longitudinal, sectional view of the structure of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary and partially vertically sectioned view of the-dispensing deviceof Figure 1 equipped with a modified version of the squeeze bulb; and

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken generally along line 6-6 of Figure 2.

A dispensing device, constituting an illustrative embodiment of. my invention, is shown in the drawings and identified by. numeral 20. Asthere shown, it includes a container of bottle- 22 and. a cap 24 therefor. The container may be. made of any suitable shape and material and, as shown, is. closed at its bottom and provided with an open top defining a combined inlet and outlet. A body of the medicinal preparation to be administered is stored in the container, and a conveniently detachable connection isprovided between the cap 24 and the open topof the container, such as the threaded connection shown. The cap likewise may be constructed of any appropriate material, and may be cup-shaped, as shown.

According to the invention, a spoon 26' is attached to the. cap- 24 and depends therefrom for disposition in the container 22 when the cap is on, as shown in Figure 2, and a squeeze bulb28 is carried by the cap externally of the container and. is: in fluid communication with the spoon 26, aswill be more fully set out hereinbelow.

in the illustrated form of the invention, the spoon 26 is: of generally elongated shape, with a. reduced tubular portion 30, integrally formed at its inner end. This tubular portion 30 is intended to pass through. the web of the cup-shaped: cap: 24, with a centrally apertured disclike washer element 32 being interposed between the web of the cap and a shoulder 36 on the spoon, as shown. Element 32 preferably is of a size. to fit in the cap 24 withlittle lateralclearance therebetween to assure proper positioning of. the spoon 26 relative to thecap. A clearance 38 will be provided between the spoon 26 and the inner cylindricalsurface of the cap. 24-, as best seen in Figures 3 and 4, to receive the open top of the container 22f. s

The spoon 26, portion 30, and washer element 32 may be made of any desirable material and suitably joined Preferably, they are formed of a light transmitting, and at least somewhat clear plastic, such as polyethylene, and may be molded or fusionwelded together in any known manner.

The bulb 28 may be spherical, as shown, although the precise shape thereof is not critical. It functions as a reservoir for the reception and storage of a quantity of the liquid in the container, and includes flexible and deformable walls joined to an integral tubular projection 40 adapted to be fitted over the portion 30, as shown. Bulb 28 may be made of the same material as spoon 26, such as polyethylene, and preferably is also light transmitting and at least somewhat clear to permit visual observation of the presence or absence of liquid therein. Projection 49 and portion 30 will be joined together in any convenient manner, as by fusion welding, to provide a fluidtight, leak-proof joint therebetween. In this same connection, the joint between portion 30 and washer 32 will likewise be appropriately made leak-proof, with the washer 32 being sufiiciently compressible to effect a fluidtight seal with the mouth of the open top of the container 22 when the cap 24 is firmly secured thereon, as is evident.

To operate the device 20, the user will first invert the container 22, with the cap 24 firmly connected thereto. Next, the bulb 28 will be squeezed and then released whereby liquid from the container will enter the bulb.

During this bulb-filling step, the user will able to ob- V serve the quantity of liquid entering the bulb, and the bulb, as shown, preferably is provided with scale markings to indicate the quantity of liquid therein. For example, a central scale marking 42 and a lower scale marking 44 may be provided; marking 42 indicating, for instance, one-half of a spoonfuland marking 44 indicating a full spoonful when the device 20 is inverted and the bulb 28 is being filled. V i

After the bulb 28 hasbeen filled to the desired degree, the device 20 is returned to its upright position and the liquid inthe bulb will remain there. in this regard, the cross-sectional area of the fluid passageway defined by the portion 30 will be sufficiently small to prevent any return flow of liquid into the container, as will be understood.

The cap 24 is then screwed off the container top and the liquid medicine in bulb 28 may now'be conveniently administered by placing the spoon 26 in the mouth of the user and squeezing the bulb to discharge the liquid therefrom onto the spoon for consumption. If desired, the liquid may be delivered to the spoon 26 before the latter is placed in the month. In either case, no pouring step is necessary to administer the medicine.

Thus, an important and outstanding feature of the invention will be observed to reside in the combination of the spoon, cap and bulb structure with the container whereby the procedure of administering medicine is greatly simplified and rendered exceedingly convenient. It will be further observed thatthe precise structures and connections for and arnongthe cap 24, spoon 26 and bulb 28, may be varied from that shown within the scope of the invention. For example, the portion 30 may be integral with the bulb 2S and joined at its inner endto the washer 32, with the spoon 26 also being attached to the washer.

Another important feature of the invention resides in the provision of complementarily curved surfaces on the spoon 26 and the interior of the top of the container 22. In the illustrative embodiment, a longitudiinally extending convex surface 46 is formed on one side of the spoon. This surface extends throughout substantially the entire length of the spoon and in transverse section preferably is circularly arcuate (see Figure 6). The inner surface 48 of the open top of the container preferably is circularly cylindrical, with its radius of curvature being substantially equal to that of the curvature of the convex surface 46 of the spoon (see Figure 6).

The spoon 26 is disposed relative. to the cap 24 so that surface 48 will be in full engagement with the adjacent and enclosed area of the spoon bottom surface 46. For this purpose, it will be evident that the clearance 38 between the spoon 26 and cap 24 will be circularly arcuate in transverse section and substantially equal in radial dimension to the thickness of the cylindrical wall at the open top of the container.

By reason of this constructional arrangement and relation, a desirable wiping actiori'of the spoon surface 46 over the surface 48 may be conveniently eifected, as the spoon is removed for use, to remove any liquid that might otherwise adhere to surface 46 and leak or drip after the spoon is removed.

The top of the spoon 26 maybe dished in the manner indicated in Figures 3 and 4 with the fluid passageway in portion 30 opening thereinto, or it may take any other appropriate configuration.

Figure 5 illustrates an alternate form for the squeeze bulb. As there shown, bulb 28' is in the form of an exemplary animal character head, designed to provide a pleasing and amusing appearance for children to provide psychological assistance in the administration of medicines to them.

It will thus be seen that the objects of this invention have been fully and effectively accomplished. It will be realized, however, that the foregoing specific embodiment has been shown and described only for the purpose of illustrating the principles of the invention and is subject to extensive change without departure from such principles. Therefore, this invention includes all modifications encompassed within the spirit and scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

A dispensing device including a container closed at its bottom and having an open top providing an outlet defined by an annular surface'of circular configuration in transverse section, a closure cap detachably connected to said open top, a spoon attached to the interior of said cap and depending therefrom through said outlet and into said container, said spoon having a concavity in one side thereof and being convex on the other side, the transverse sectional configuration of said convex side being uniform throughout substantially the entire length of said spoon, said convex side being complementary to and in mutual engagement with said annular surface of said outlet, a flexible-walled bulb carried by said cap externally of said container, and means defining a liquid apssageway extending between said bulb and said spoon.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

